GET THE KEYS, KEEP THE KEYS
Transition Projects' Rent Well program is designed to empower residents of Oregon and Washington with the knowledge and skills necessary for successful renting. This 15-hour tenant education course covers topics such as budgeting, the application process, communication skills, tenant rights, landlord expectations, unit maintenance, moving tips, and more.
There are three options available for taking the Rent Well course, including in-person sessions, webinar-style classes, and an online eCourse (currently only available for Oregon residents). All classes are taught by certified instructors from partnered agencies who have completed our Tenant Educator Academy and undergo recertification to stay up to date. This training provides a comprehensive understanding of how to effectively teach the course at their agency.
At Transition Projects, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to live well, be well, and Rent Well.
WHAT IS RENT WELL?
Rent Well is a fantastic tenant education course that provides valuable knowledge about renters' rights and responsibilities. The course can be attended in person or via Zoom at various non-profit and service agencies in Oregon and Washington. Additionally, it is available as an online eCourse, offering the flexibility to be completed at one's own pace. This comprehensive course covers 12 sections that delve into various aspects of the rental process and essential topics such as fair housing laws, the rental screening process, communication with potential landlords about screening barriers, credit repair and building, maintaining a healthy home, and understanding the eviction process. This valuable program also offers students the opportunity to obtain their rental screening report, thanks to a partnership with Pacific Screening.
-
How laws affect your relationship with your landlord
-
How landlords screen potential renters
-
Different types of housing options
-
Identifying your housing wants versus needs
-
How to apply for a unit
-
Reviewing rental agreements
-
How to deal with a termination notice and eviction processes
-
Understanding what your landlord expects of you
-
Knowing what your landlord is responsible for
-
How to be a good tenant and neighbor
-
How to keep your home healthy and safe
-
How your choices can affect your housing situation
-
How to communicate with your landlord and neighbors
-
Understanding the landlord’s point of view
-
Setting goals and action steps to achieve your housing plans
WHY TAKE RENT WELL?
Many individuals seeking to take Rent Well have faced multiple rejections in their housing search and come to this class for guidance. Some are referred by case managers, while others are new to renting and want to be well-informed. In addition to gaining tools for maintaining stable housing, Rent Well students also receive a copy of their rental background report, similar to what landlords use for rental decisions. They also create a personalized housing portfolio that highlights their background and strengths, which they can present to potential landlords. Lastly, eligible graduates have the opportunity to register for the Landlord Incentive Program, which is linked with the Rent Well graduation certificate and may improve their chances of securing housing.
WHAT IS A LANDLORD INCENTIVE FUND?
The Landlord Incentive Fund is designed to provide landlords with peace of mind when renting to a graduate of the Rent Well program. If the tenant leaves their rental unit within the first year and incurs costs beyond their security deposit such as unpaid rent, damages, or legal fees, the program will cover these additional expenses up to a certain amount. The specific amount varies depending on the location; in Oregon, landlords can be guaranteed up to an additional $5,000. For many potential landlords, this funding can make the difference between rejecting or approving a Rent Well graduate as a tenant.
ENROLLING IN CLASS
You have two choices when it comes to enrolling in a class:
1. In-person or Zoom classes, taught by Rent Well instructors at Rent Well provider agencies.
2. The eCourse, which you can complete at your own convenience with personalized assistance from a Support Specialist.
Feel free to investigate your options by clicking on the links provided below.
WHAT WE HAVE BEEN UP TO
Rent Well was established in 2009 and has been collectively managed by multiple agencies and a committee called the Renter's Education Alliance (REAL). This committee consisted of housing advocates, case managers, non-profit organizations, tenants, property managers, and government officials from the Portland Metro area. The curriculum was created by a professional developer and evaluated by the Fair Housing Council of Oregon, Legal Aid Services of Oregon, Community Alliance of Tenants, and Multifamily NW.
Until 2016, the REAL Committee, Homeforward, and the City of Portland collaborated to oversee the Rent Well curriculum. In July 2016, control and management of Rent Well were transferred to Transition Projects, the primary provider of the course. With this consolidation of oversight, there have been numerous updates, accomplishments, and advancements for the program.
2017
-
July: In July, we rejoiced as the Oregon House Bill (HB) 2724 was passed, establishing a statewide Rent Guarantee Program and requiring certified tenant education courses such as Rent Well.
-
November: 5000 individuals had successfully completed the Rent Well program.
2018
-
January: Marked the release of Version 3.0 for the Oregon and Washington curriculum, which was the first update since 2014. This version combined the instructor notes with the student manual, streamlining the teaching process by providing one comprehensive manual.
-
May: Rent Well received a $25k grant from the Oregon Community Foundation to translate both the instructor and student materials into Spanish, making the program more accessible to Spanish-speaking communities.
2019
-
June: We commemorated the approval of Oregon Senate Bill (SB) 278, which granted eligibility for the Rent Guarantee Program to individuals between the ages of 16 and 26 who had been in foster care or the juvenile justice system within the last 10 years.
-
August: We finalized and published version 4.0 of the curriculum for Oregon and Washington. This updated version separated the laws and curriculum specific to each state into their own individual manuals for students and instructors.
2020
-
February: Our program advocated for the passing of Senate Bill (SB) 1533, which aimed to make minor but crucial adjustments to the original Rent Guarantee Bill, making it more accessible for Rent Well graduates and their landlords. Unfortunately, the bill did not make it through session.
-
March: We expanded our administrative team by hiring an official Administrative Support Specialist, increasing the staffing from one to two full-time positions.
-
May: This was a significant month for us as we celebrated the graduation of our 10,000th Rent Well student. Additionally, due to the COVID pandemic, we made changes to the in-person course and transformed it into a webinar-style version of the curriculum.
2021
-
January: Oregon Housing and Community Services awarded Rent Well a $500k grant to transform their curriculum into an eCourse and mobile app available in seven languages: English, Spanish, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, and German.
-
May: After months of hard work, we finally celebrated the successful passing of Oregon House Bill (HB) 2101 in May. This bill was a rerun of a previous technical fix from 2019 that aimed to make the Oregon guarantee more accessible for Rent Well graduates.
-
July: Marked the release of rentwell.org's newly designed website.
-
August: Following suit, the Tenant Education Academy also released its eCourse version in, providing individuals with the opportunity to access training on their own time instead of waiting for quarterly sessions.
-
October: A collaboration between Pacific Screening and Rent Well resulted in a new screening site for instructors and students to easily access comprehensive background reports in real-time.
2022
-
January: After rigorous evaluation, Rent Well earned the prestigious title of being the top-notch tenant education program in Oregon and was chosen as the only state-sanctioned curriculum to be used with the Rent Guarantee Program. Furthermore, the program's team grew from two members to six full-time staff, with the purpose of aiding eCourse students in completing the curriculum and assisting instructors from other agencies. They also aimed to strengthen relationships with property managers through a designated liaison.
-
February: The eCourse is now open for anyone to enroll. Thanks to the generous support from Oregon Housing and Community Services, the course will be offered for free to 5,000 low-income individuals in Oregon every year.
-
March: We initiated the development of Apply Oregon, a collaborative effort between Rent Well and Pacific Screening to connect recent graduates with landlords in Oregon. Additionally, the fifth version, also known as the 2022 edition, of the curriculum for both Oregon and Washington was recently released.